Using Open Source Reconnaissance Tools for Business Partner Vulnerability Assessment

The security of business partners can adversely affect a company. Third party data breaches can cost significantly more per lost record than local data breaches and acquisitions are more likely to be successful if security is addressed during the purchase. Even though it may be difficult to get security information directly from a business partner there are ways of performing a basic security assessment of a company using public information. Open source tools such as search engines, Shodan, Search Diggity, and recon-ng can provide a valuable profile of a company's strengths and weaknesses. By utilizing these tools as a part of the due diligence process businesses will be able to make a more informed decision during an acquisition or when choosing a vendor.